March 31 Will Be Nintendo's Darkest Day. Here's Why
Nintendo had a jam-packed year with the celebration of Mario's 35th anniversary. But with a new year on the horizon comes a handful of changes that Nintendo will start rolling out for better, and maybe a little for worse. In case you didn't know, March 31, 2021, will be one of the darkest days for Nintendo, and especially for Mario.
It's not to say that we didn't see this coming since Nintendo gave gamers a heads-up about the dreaded March 31 date, but it still doesn't change the fact that this pretty much sucks. Nintendo gave us a ton of great Mario content this year, and to know the kind of fate that awaits many of these games in March really stings. To give you a better idea of what's going on, here are a few reasons why March 31 will literally be one of the worst days in Nintendo history.
Super Mario Maker (Wii U) will be taken offline and removed from the eShop
If you're someone who still plays Super Mario Maker for Wii U, we've got some bad news for you. Last month, Nintendo announced that they will be removing Super Mario Maker from the eShop on January 13, 2021, and discontinuing the game's online services on March 31, 2021. This means that after March 31, it will be impossible to upload and play courses made by other players. Any courses that were uploaded prior to March 31 will still be made available to play, but this is quite literally the end for this beloved game.
This obviously sucks for those who never made the transition to Super Mario Maker 2 for Nintendo Switch. This also doesn't bode well for the future of Super Mario Maker 2, should Nintendo come out with a shiny new system to play the game on, or a new entry in the Mario Maker series. But hey. It's better to live in the now and maybe consider picking the game up for Nintendo Switch instead.
Super Mario Bros. 35 and Super Mario 3D All-Stars will no longer be available to play
All good things must come to an end. In honor of Mario's 35-year anniversary, Nintendo released a whole slew of Mario games to celebrate the iconic plumber this year. As a part of this promotion, Nintendo made Super Mario Bros. 35 – a hectic 35-player race to the end of a Super Mario Bros. course — available to play for free on Nintendo eShop. Also as a part of the celebration, Super Mario 3D All-Stars was released in September, allowing fans to finally get their hands on Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine, and Super Mario Galaxy, all in one tiny cartridge. But with the exclusion of Super Mario Galaxy 2 from the collection and its limited release window, gamers were left with a sour taste in their mouths.
However, Nintendo plans on removing both Super Mario Bros. 35 and Super Mario 3D All-Stars from the eShop on March 31, 2021. Additionally, Nintendo will no longer sell or produce physical copies Super Mario 3D All-Stars after this dreaded date.
Game & Watch portable will no longer be available for sale
Poor Mario really can't catch a break. For the brick-busting plumber's 35th anniversary, Nintendo released a Game & Watch Super Mario Bros. handheld that contained the original Super Mario Bros., The Lost Levels, and a version of the Game & Watch title Ball. The system sold for $50 and was presented as a retro way of celebrating Mario's early 2D adventures in the Mushroom Kingdom. The Game & Watch retains the old-school Nintendo aesthetic while also providing a better-quality screen and a directional pad, both of which were features that were lacking during the '80s.
The handheld is definitely a piece that will catch the eyes of collectors. So if you're one of these people, grab it while you can because after March 31, 2021, this Game & Watch will also meet the same fate as the other entries on this list.